I don’t mean to get personal or be nosy, but how are your investments and where are they held? Most things we invest in are temporary and sometimes risky. That’s why God wants us to make wise, lasting investments in things of eternal significance. “God did not create us for time; He created us for eternity.”1 Therefore, let’s invest in relationships. At the end of our lives, our wins and losses, our bank accounts, stocks, retirement account, and social security income won’t mean much. Our relationships, however, will be the crown jewel of our lives. Relationships with our families, friends, and most importantly with Jesus Christ will be the true measure of our wealth.
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#33 - StVRP - Tamika Catchings, David Wheaton and Roger Lipe

Indiana Fever women’s basketball player and 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist Tamika Catchings, former tennis star David Wheaton, Southern Illinois FCA Area Director Roger Lipe, FCA President Les Steckel
The Eternal Purpose

Athletes must know their purpose on the team. For example, the purpose of an offensive lineman is to protect the quarterback and create space for the running back. The purpose of a pitcher is to prevent a batter from getting a hit. On the soccer field a goalkeeper’s purpose is to keep the ball from landing in the net.
Just as athletes have a purpose, each coach has a specific purpose as well. An assistant coach may be in charge of one aspect of the team, such as serving as an offensive coordinator. Perhaps his job is to lead the team in prepractice stretches. Head coaches have a responsibility beyond atheletic training; they are called upon to mold and shape the lives of young people.
Loyalty

Discussion:
- Who has shown you loyalty during your career in sport? Tell us about it.
- How do people express loyalty at various levels of sport?
- Let’s read about a remarkable expression of loyalty in Ruth 1:15-18.
- How did Ruth demonstrate loyalty to her mother-in-law, Naomi?
- From what you read, what are the limits of Ruth’s loyalty?
- Do you find such loyalty among your teammates and coaches? What factors contribute to that situation?
- What have we learned today that could build loyalty on our team?
Summary:
Praying for a WIN

Over the past several years, our family has joined in the annual FCA challenge of picking a word of the year. Every January, FCA sends out a series of Impact Play devotions asking readers to pray about a one-word theme for the year and letting God work through it in many ways.
In 2012 my word was prayer. I thought perhaps God would grow the depth of my prayer, bring people into my path who needed prayer, or maybe answer a big prayer, but I had no idea that He would bring me to my knees in a whole different way.
Routine Maintenance

“Thank you, sir.” Square feet and shoulders . . . dribble, dribble . . . spin . . . dribble . . . spin . . . bend knees . . . shoot. That is my routine for shooting a free throw. Early in my career my coaches instilled a need for routine whenever our team stood at the line. A routine mentally prepares us for the task ahead. Free throws can come at any point in a game with varying degrees of pressure. I can still feel the pressure after missing a shot—people either let out a sigh of relief or disappointment.
Play with Purpose

I’ve been blessed to accomplish some amazing feats that only a handful of female basketball players have achieved. During my career, I’ve been honored to play on an NCAA National Championship team, a WNBA Championship team and an Olympic gold medal team. At Notre Dame, I hit the game-winning shot and was voted the 2001 Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player. With the Detroit Shock, I was named the 2003 WNBA Finals MVP.
I Prayed for You

I have many memorable moments from my coaching days. I recall a pregame meeting that actually involved no talk about the upcoming game. Usually we reviewed assignments and our first series of plays, but in this particular meeting I took another direction. I told the players how I had been praying for them. I prayed for their safety on the field and that they would do well in the classroom. Most importantly, I prayed that if they were uncertain about their salvation that God would send them to me or some other Christian who would show them how to have a personal relationship with God.
Heart of an Athlete: Rex Burkhead, Nebraska Football
“Don’t you know that the runners in a stadium all race, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way to win the prize.” – 1 Corinthians 9:24
Without professional sports in their state, the citizens of Nebraska have elevated their Cornhusker football team to pro status—living for each Saturday in the fall. This fact isn’t lost on senior running back Rex Burkhead, who has used his four years in front of Big Red Nation to spread the saving message of his Savior, Jesus Christ.
Heart of a Coach: Kristin Steele, MidAmerica Nazarene Volleyball
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
MidAmerica Nazarene University volleyball coach Kristin Steele’s favorite verse from Scripture is Jeremiah 29:11, in which the Lord declares, “For I know the plans I have for you…” She’s living proof, as she followed His guiding, not her own, from standout collegiate volleyball player to collegiate volleyball coach years ago. Now in her third season at MNU, Steele is pushing her Pioneers to new levels of success on the court and deeper relationships with the Lord away from it.
Playing for the Lord

As athletes, we play with the abilities God has given us. But what really drives us to play the game? For some it’s the praise of parents, coaches, and friends, or awards and medals. Often our self-worth and dedication to the game is driven purely on the thoughts, praises, and criticisms of others.
Great Expectations

Everything in me wanted to be the fast marathoner that my bib number said I was. The big “B” on my bib, which indicated that I had qualified for a fast start corral, got tons of comments from other runners and made me feel pretty special. I even started to believe that my month off from running wouldn’t matter and that I’d be blessed with a 3:30 marathon simply because I’d done it before. Let me explain…
FCA "Touching Millions" Campaign Ads

These ads focus on the impact of FCA and are designed to excite athletes, coaches and donors to your local ministry to learn more.
The “Touching Millions” ads are available in three different versions and are available in full page (8.5x11) and ¼ page sizes as well as color, black/white and grayscale versions to meet the needs of different publications.
Use them in:
· Magazines
· Newspapers
· Athletic programs
· Banquet programs
· Newsletters
· Postings/Bulletin Boards
· Your ideas!
Passion - Chapel

- Passion for our school, club, community.
- Passion for our teammates.
- Passion for the sport.
- Passion for the God who gave
Baseball in the Bay
Rigo Lopez sounded tired, but satisfied. It was a crisp November evening in Palo Alto, Calif., and Lopez, an upbeat Bay Area FCA area representative, had just concluded two long days of camps. Coordinating a four-hour baseball clinic at Santa Clara University that featured major leaguers, minor leaguers and college players as instructors would have been plenty of work by itself. But the next day, Lopez and the local FCA saff hosted a similar four-hour softball camp 30 minutes away at Stanford University.
Heart of an Athlete: Rachel Hockaday
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.” – Ephesians 6:10 (NIV)
This season hasn’t exactly turned out the way Iowa State volleyball player Rachel Hockaday planned. As a junior outside hitter, Hockaday was set to be a key component in the Cyclones’ success but suffered a season-ending knee injury just 12 points into the first match of the year. As STV’s November “Heart of an Athlete,” Hockaday had fielded our interview before the season, but, after the circumstances changed, she was kind enough to give us a few more minutes on the phone and tell us how the Lord has worked through this new challenge.
Making The Cut

Many of us struggle with the constant pressure to be perfect within athletics. We get caught up seeking unreliable affirmation through our performance, so when things don't go our way many times we feel discouraged.
Tryouts are a great example. We work day in and day out to prove we ARE worthy of a spot. Summers we run sprints in the heat, nights we lift in the weight room and it feels like every second is spent honing our skills.
All that work leads to the moment tryouts finish and we run to the gym door to see if our name is one of the few listed on the final roster. Usually making the cut is a long process that requires hard work, focus and countless hours of training. To win a spot on the roster YOU have to earn it.
Run to God

Orioles Second-base man Brian Roberts talks about struggling with sin and responding God's way.
Why We Practice

Why do you practice? Is there really a purpose in it? The answer is yes.
My baseball coach always asked us a question after we got done practicing: “Why do we practice?” And in typical form, we would all yell, “TO GET BETTER!” But practicing isn’t just for athletes; it’s for Christians, too.
Failure

Jesus chose the disciples as His team—all twelve of them—and all twelve failed! When Jesus was betrayed by Judas and arrested, the disciples ran away into hiding. They started out wanting to defend Jesus, but fear took over. Jesus predicted this would happen, yet still wanted these men on His team.
We all fail. As athletes we will blow an assignment, strike out, or miss a shot. When this happens will the coach still want us on the team? Truthfully, sometimes yes and sometimes no. But if we keep trying and do not give up, we are more likely to keep our spot on the team.
Seven Daily Exercises for Coaches

1. Pray. We would not let even one day go by without discussing strategies, plays, tips for improvement, or game plans with our players and staff. We must adopt the same attitude toward our prayer life and not approach any decision, day, or activity without first seeking God.
2. Read the Bible. Coaches expect players to be prepared for any situation that may confront them during the game. God expects the same of us. He wants us to read our “playbooks” daily so that we are equipped to play the game of life.
FCA "Scoreboard" Campaign Ads

These contemporary ads are designed to stir interest in FCA and draw new athletes, coaches and donors to your local ministry.
The “Scoreboard” ads are available in two different headline versions—Winning and Losing. These ads are also available in full page (8.5x11) and ¼ page sizes as well as color and black/white versions to meet the needs of different publications.
Use them in:
- Magazines
- Newspapers
- Athletic programs
- Banquet programs
- Newsletters
- Postings/Bulletin Boards
- Your ideas!
Please contact us in marketing if you have questions.
marketing@fca.org
Leave It On The Field

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